The present invention relates to (a) novel, fluorine-containing compounds containing a special structure, that is, a hydroxyl group or a substituent formed by modifying hydroxyl group, (b) polymers prepared by polymerization or copolymerization of such compounds, (c) resist compositions using such compounds or polymers, and (d) anti-reflection coating materials using such polymers.
Fluorine-containing compounds have been used in various fields particularly in the field of advanced materials due to their good qualities (e.g., water repellency, oil repellency, low water absorption, heat resistance, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, transparency, photosensitivity, low refractive index, and low dielectric property). In particular, fluorine-containing compounds are applied to the field of coating materials due to their transparency at their specific wavelengths. For example, they are used for anti-reflection films due to their transparency in the visible light region, for optical devices in a long wavelength region (optical communication wavelength band), and for resist compositions in ultraviolet region (particularly vacuum ultraviolet wavelength region). There have been active researches and developments of fluorine-containing compounds for such uses. To satisfy sophisticated and diversified requests, there are demands for producing a dissolution inhibitor that is superior in transparency, adhesion to substrate, and etching resistance and thereby is suitable for anti-reflection film materials, resist compositions.
Hitherto, there have not been obtained anti-reflection film materials or resist compositions that have high transparency and low refractive index in a wide wavelength region from ultraviolet region to near infrared region and that are superior in adhesion to substrate, film-forming property, etching resistance and durability.